After 36 holes at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, South African Richard Sterne (World No. 165) is your leader by one shot on 12-under par.  Sterne followed his stellar first round 62 with a 2-under 70 in his second round.  Sharing second place are Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen (67-66), England’s Tommy Fleetwood (65-68) and Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher (63-70) all just one shot back.
Pre-tournament favorite Sergio Garcia (68-67) is on 9-under and currently T8. Interestingly, Garcia almost retired halfway through his second round with a reported shoulder injury.  After an on-course physio visit and a birdie, birdie, eagle run to close out his opening nine, the Spaniard played on and finished his back nine in even-par 35.  This is Week 3 of the Fantasy Race to Dubai 2013 on the European Tour and is the last of three tournaments that make up the “Desert Swing”.
Omega Dubai Desert Classic Tournament Notes after 36 holes:

• 71 of 132 players made the cut (3-under).  Both amateurs in the field missed the cut and England’s Richard Bland was on 2-under when he retired halfway through his second round.

• With a pair of 69’s, defending champion Rafa Cabrera-Bello is on 6-under (T26) and will play the weekend in defense of his title.

• In his 2013 debut, Englishman Lee Westwood (highest ranked player in the field at World No. 8) followed a first round 67 with a 1-under 71 in his second round.  Westwood stands on 6-under also in a tie for 26th.

• England’s Chris Wood (last week’s winner at the Qatar Masters) continued his good form with matching 68’s and is on 8-under; currently T11.

• Former champions of this event that made the cut:  Cabrera-Bello; Henrik Stenson; Mark O’Meara; Robert-Jan Derksen; David Howell & winning 2012 European Ryder Cup Captain Jose Maria Olazabal.

• Former champions to miss the cut:  Thomas Bjorn, Richard Green & Colin Montgomerie.

• Two players that were featured in my preview to this event were Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and England’s Paul Casey.  Jamieson logged an even par 72 with 18 consecutive pars in his second round.  Thanks to his 7-under 65 in round 1 however, Jamieson is firmly on the leader board at T20 and just five strokes back of Sterne.  Casey posts 66-70 and is T11 at the halfway point.  After missing 10 of 12 cuts midway through 2012, Casey moves his consecutive cuts-made streak to eight and is just four shots back of the lead.

• No real surprises as to those who missed the cut, but in a disappointing finish, World No. 84 Danny Willett double-bogeyed his 18th hole to drop to 2-under and miss the cut by one shot.

•  All told, there are 25 players within five shots of the lead going into the weekend so it’s anyone’s game at the halfway point and should make for an exciting finish in the desert!